Home Remedies to Cure Head Lice

Getting rid of head lice needn't be a traumatic experience. It will still take time and plenty of perseverance, but with home remedies it won't take a lot of money. Some of these home remedies are even good for your hair and will leave it shinier and silkier than ever.

Tea Tree Shampoo

Many people claim that tea tree shampoo is effective in both treating head lice and as a preventative. Tea tree shampoo is available at health food stores, drug stores and online. To use, shampoo your hair with tea tree shampoo and leave on your hair for 20 minutes. Rinse hair then remove nits (eggs). Repeat every day, if needed.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise works by smothering the lice. The vinegar in mayonnaise help loosen the nits from the hair shaft. Coat the hair with mayonnaise. Use enough to get down to the scalp. Make sure the hair is completely soaked, or the lice will simply migrate to an untreated area. Cover hair with a shower cap and leave alone for three to six hours. Rinse out the mayonnaise, shampoo hair as usual, then remove the nits.

Olive Oil

Using olive oil on your hair has the same effect as using some of the pricey hot-oil treatments. First, coat your hair with olive oil, making sure to get the oil all the way down to the scalp. Cover hair with a shower cap and leave alone for three to eight hours. Lice can survive for two hours when coated, so try to leave the olive oil on for as long as possible. Squeeze the excess oil out of the hair, add shampoo, and work into a lather. Rinse. You may have to wash hair a couple of times to clean off all of the olive oil. Remove nits.

Vinegar

Some people report success with vinegar rinses. Vinegar helps loosen the glue that attach the nits to the hair shaft. Soak dry hair with white vinegar, paying special attention to avoid getting in eyes. Let vinegar stay in hair for ten minutes. Rinse and comb out nits.

Heat

Lice and nits are both killed by heat. Use a hot comb or curling iron (not a blow dryer, as that could blow the lice off the head), and go over the entire head. Try to get as close to the scalp as possible, but not so close to get burned. When done, comb through the hair with a nit comb to remove the dead lice and nits as below.

Nits

The nits must be removed, or they will hatch and start a new infestation. Nit combs are available in stores, in the same section as the commercial nit preparations. Put a towel over the shoulders to catch any falling lice or nits. Beginning at the crown, comb slowly through small sections of hair from the scalp outwards. Trying to comb through thicker sections will only prevent the nit comb from doing its job. Keep the nit comb clean as you work by rinsing it in soapy water. After each section is combed through, pin it to top of head. Continue around the head and down until all hair has been combed through. When done, immediately wash the towel in hot water.